Fruit-gatherer



NoMbaeL x v E. PROBST.

FRUIT GATHERER.

No. 343,490. Patented'June 8, 1886.

Attorneys N. PETERS. Phmo-mho m her. wnsmn tun, D. c

UN IT-ED STATES PATENT. -rrrcn.

EMADEUS PROBST, on OENTRAIIIA, ILLINOIS.

FRUlT-GlATHERER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Lettefrs Patent No '343,490, dated June 8,1886. Application filed August 19,1884; Serial No. 140,988. (No model.)

tralia, in the county of Marion and State ofv Illinois, have invented anew and useful 1111- provement in Fruit-Gatherers, of which thefollowing is a specification, reference being;

had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to a cutter for remov ing such fruit as grapes,melons, strawberries, and slmllar fruit from the vine, where it isdesirable that the stems should be out instead of broken.

object to provide a device of this character,

which may be readily attached to the hand.

A further object of the invention is to pro vide a device of thecharacter above mentioned which shall be cheap and simple in itsconstruction, efiective in its operation, and one that will be strongand durable.

With these ends in view the invention con sists in the improvedconstruction of cutter, in the means for its attachment to the hand, andin the various details of construction hereinafter fully described, andpointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a fruit or vinecutter constructed in accordance with my invention, showing the sameadjusted upon the hand and in position for operation. Fig. 2 is a detailperspective view of the cutter. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of amodification. Fig. 4 is a transverse vertical section of Fig. 2, andFig. 5 is a detail plan of one of the concave plates for the attachmentof straps or loops.

In the accompanying drawings, in which like letters of referenceindicate corresponding parts in the several figures, A represents thecutter, which is preferably of steel, and consisting of a single bladehaving a sharp cutting-edge. The forward end of this cutter is turnedupwardly at or nearly at right angles to the body portion of the cutter,as shown at a. This bending of the cutter at its forward end is anessential feature of my invention, the purpose of which will be morefully described. Upon the lower end of the cutterat the point at whichthe cutter is bent, there is an ear or lug, of, which is preferablyformed integral with the cutter, and projecting from the outer sidethereof at right angles thereto. This lug is provided with a hole oropening, and secured to said lug is a concave plate, B, said plate Bhaving two or more screw-threaded openings for the passage of afasteningscrew, b. which also engages the opening in the lug of. Thesides of said plate are hollowed out or cut away, and it is provided aterably of elastic or flexible material, said loop The invention is alsoadapted for use for trimming shrubs, vines, &c.; and it has for its orstrap being secured in the slots at each end is provided anoutwardly-extending lug and a concave plate secured thereto, which areof the same construction and secured together in the same manner as theones already described. with the exception that the loop or strap 0 hasa free doubled end, which passes through the slot on the opposite sideof the plate from which it is attached.

The device above described is applied to the hand in the followingmanner: The forefinger is inserted through the loops or straps and therear strap drawn'tight upon the finger. The free doubled end is thenengaged by the middle finger, which holds it in place. The forward orfront concave plate is located between the first and second joint of theforefinger, and as it is concave it conforms to the shape of saidfinger. As the sides of the concave plates are cut away or hollowed out,they fit in the joints of the finger, thus insuring a firm grip or holdon the cutter, and, further, the plates do not cut or injure the hand.The end of the forefinger bears against the upturned front end of thecutter. Thus the maximum amount of pressure or force may be brought tobear on the cutter when in operation.

It will be seen from the above description that by locating the frontconcave plate at the point at which the cutter is bent it conforms tothe curvature of the finger, and the end of the finger is enabled tobear firmly against the upturned end of the cutter, for the purposeabove mentioned. The rear end of the rear concave plate fits the jointat the junction of the forefinger with the hand, and thus prevents themoving of the cutter upon the hand when pressed by the finger to cut avine or other object.

A cutter constructed in accordance with my invention is cheap, simple,and effective, and is adapted for various purposes.

I have shown a modification in Fig. 3, in which Iemploy only one plateand one loop. In this case the plate fits between the first and secondjoint, and the cutter is made somewhat smaller than usual.

Having fully described lily-invention, what I claim as new, and desireto secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with a cutter having the upturned front end andconsisting of a single blade, of concave plates secured to the cut terand loops secured to the plates, as set forth.

2. The combination, with a cutter consisting ofa single blade having theupturned front end, of concave plates attached to said cutter andflexible loops attached to the plates, substantiall y as set forth.

3. The combination, with a cutter having an upturned front end, andhaving lugs provided with openings, of plates and loops engaging saidplates, for the purpose set forth.

4. The combination, with a cutter having the upturned front end, andhaving lugs provided with openings, of concave plates and flexibleloops.

5. The combination, with acntter, of plates having slots at their endsand flexible loops engaging said slots.

6. The combination, with a cutter, of concave plates having slots attheir ends and flexible loops engaging said slots.

7. The combination, with a cutter having the upturned front end, of aconcave plate lo cated at the point at which said cutter is bent and aloop for its attachment to the hand, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination, with a cutter having an upturned front end, saidcutter having lugs extending outwardly from its lower end, one of saidlugs being located at the point at which said cutter is bent, of concaveplates secured to said lugs, and flexible loops secured to said plates,as set forth.

9. The combination, with a cutter having a plate at its rear end, saidplate having slots, as shown, of a flexible loop secured in one of saidslots, its double end being passed through the other slot to form aloop,to accommodate the middle finger of the hand, substantially as setforth.

10. The herein-described fruit and vine eutter,having the upturned frontend,and having outwardly-extending lugs, each of which is provided withan opening, and concave plates secured to said lugs, said plates havingaslot at each end and elastic straps secured in said slots, the rearstrap having its free doubled end passed through the slot on theopposite side of the plate to accommodate the middle finger of the hand,as set forth.

11. The combination, with a cutter, of a plate attached thereto, andhaving a slot at each end, a flexible loop secured in one of said slotsat one end, its other end being passed through the slot on the other endof the plate, as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmy signature in presence of two witnesses.

EMADEUS PROBST.

W'itnesses:

R. BARRON, D. T. HOOVER.

